Obama: I will veto earmarked bills

President Obama said in his State of the Union address that he would veto any bill that contained earmarks, his strongest statement against the longstanding congressional spending tactic.

“Both parties in Congress should know this: If a bill comes to my desk with earmarks in it, I will veto it,” the president said.

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Obama tied the ban to an effort to “rebuild people’s faith in the institution of government,” and called for congress to put government spending online along with records of their meetings with lobbyists.

“The American people deserve to know that special interests aren’t larding up legislation with pet projects,” Obama continued.

Last year in November, after House Republicans passed legislation banning earmarks, the president issued a statement in support of efforts to curb runaway spending. But Republican leaders Rep. John Boehner and Rep. Eric Cantor challenged Obama to stand by his support and veto any bill that contained earmarks.

“We welcome President Obama’s remarks on earmark reform, and we call upon him to urge Congressional Democrats to hold a vote next week on a similar measure,” they said in a statement. “Furthermore, if the President is committed to real earmark reform, he could demonstrate that immediately by agreeing to veto any spending measure this year or next that includes earmarks.”

“I think this is an issue that any president would like to have, that takes power away from the legislative branch of government,” Reid said in a conference call with reporters on Tuesday. “I think it’s the wrong thing to do. I don’t think it’s helpful. It’s a lot of pretty talk, but it only gives the president more power. He’s got enough power already.”